South Korea was plunged into a brief spring cold snap Tuesday, with temperatures expected to remain below seasonal norms through Thursday, the state weather agency said.
Seoul recorded a morning low of 3.3 degrees Celsius, about 3 degrees below the 30-year average for this time of year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. In Paju, Gyeonggi Province, temperatures fell below freezing to minus 3 degrees, about 5.2 degrees below average.
Morning temperatures in major cities remained below 10 degrees as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, ranging from around 5 degrees in Seoul to 9.5 degrees in Busan. The chill was accompanied by strong winds.
The weather agency said colder-than-usual conditions are expected to persist through Thursday, with lows below the typical range of 2 to 9 degrees and daytime highs below the seasonal norm of 15 to 19 degrees.
Potentially heavy rain is forecast nationwide Thursday, with hourly precipitation expected to reach up to 80 millimeters on the mainland, 150 mm on Jeju Island and 30 mm in Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Rain is expected to begin in southern regions, including Jeju Island and South Jeolla Province, before spreading nationwide by noon.
Showers are likely to continue into Friday morning.
Temperatures are expected to return to levels more typical of the season by the end of the week, with lows of 4 to 11 degrees and highs of 15 to 22 degrees. Some rain is forecast for Jeju Island on Sunday, while daytime highs nationwide are expected to rise to between 18 and 25 degrees.
Cold snaps in late March and April are relatively common in Korea, often linked to fluctuations in the Siberian High system. The phenomenon is locally known as “kkotsaem chuwi,” referring to a chill that arrives alongside spring blossoms.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
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